One of the great thrills of the fourth annual Django Reinhart NY Festival last November was seeing the young German phenom Joscho Stephan burning up the fretboard with astounding technique that combines strength, speed, finesse, and soul into one scintillating package. Accompanied by Max Schaaf on bass and Stephan’s father Günter on rhythm guitar at New York City’s Birdland club, Joscho displayed a furious sense of momentum, unleashing dazzling cascades of single notes and rhythmically assured blocks of chords on Reinhardt nuggets like “Avalon,” “Limehouse Blues,” and ”Minor Swing.” Several of Stephan’s pyrotechnic excursions up and down the neck of his Jürgen Volkert D-hole acoustic guitar elicited wild whoops and rowdy cheers from the packed house of Djanghophiles, some of whom appeared ready to anoint the handsome young German the heir to Django’s throne. While that claim could be challenged by such other Reinhardt disciples as Biréli Lagrène, Frank Vignola, Jimmy and Stochelo Rosenberg, and Dorado Schmitt, one thing is certain: Joscho is the real deal who may indeed represent the future of the Gypsy jazz guitar tradition…

Red Hot Gyps Jazz (Andy Ellis, Guitar Player July 2000)

If you’ve been searching for musical inspiration, get yourself a copy of Swinging Strings, pua aside an hour to really listen—no housework, bill paying, or other distractions allowed—and celebrate the discovery of a great new guitarist. At age of 20, Joscho Stephan plays with such elegance, precision, and fire that you’ll be tempted to resent his abilities. Fortunately, Stephan spins his lightning-fast Gypsy jazz lines with such obvious pleasure that you’ll find yourself smiling at his audacity, humor, and joie de vivre…